We’ve regularly expressed serious concerns about Barack Obama’s views on the Middle East in general and the Arab-Israeli situation in particular from the onset of his 2008 presidential campaign through his four years in the White House.

It should come as no surprise to readers that The Jewish Press endorses Governor Mitt Romney in the November 6 presidential election. We’ve regularly expressed serious concerns about Barack Obama’s views on the Middle East in general and the Arab-Israeli situation in particular from the onset of his 2008 presidential campaign through his four years in the White House.

We recognize that there are those who can and do point to several pro-Israel actions President Obama has taken as being indicative of fundamental support for the Jewish state on his part. Indeed, some of those actions are unprecedented. However, we believe it is clear that Mr. Obama came into office determined to significantly alter downward the decades-long special relationship between the U.S. and Israel – as we discuss below, he indicated as much – but that he was forced to put his intentions on hold following serious pushback from Jewish leaders and Democratic Party allies.

We fear that once he is freed from reelection concerns, the president in a second term will resume the tough talk to Israel and the disturbing policies of his earlier months in office that, if implemented, would result in a truncated and weakened Israel and an empowered Muslim world.

On the other hand, from everything we have heard from Mr. Romney it appears he not only believes in the special relationship between the U.S. and Israel but is intent on enhancing it.

Of course, separate and apart from the issue of Israel there should be a healthy skepticism when it comes to most of President Obama’s claims of accomplishment.

On the domestic front, the economy remains listless, the unemployment rate is a national disgrace, and the national debt is spiraling out of control.

Mr. Obama’s recent dissembling over the Benghazi disaster is only the latest in a series of foreign policy mishaps that taken together only serve to increase our unease. He claims to have referred to the incident as a “terror attack” in a speech the next day. The transcript does indeed show that he used the phrase, but in context he appeared to be making a broad generalization rather than specifically affixing the terror appellation to Benghazi.

Moreover, for days afterward his vice president, UN ambassador and several other administration spokesmen maintained either that they still didn’t know whether the attack was the work of terrorists or that it was a spontaneous, violent reaction to an anti-Muhammad video – the latter a notion that has now been discredited. In running as fast as they could from using the word “terrorism,” they claimed to have been relying on the intelligence information that was available at the time. What intelligence, then, was the president – assuming he really was, as he claims, referring to Benghazi – relying on the day after the attack?

Also contributing to our dismay with the administration were the unprecedented threats to the Supreme Court over Obamacare, the open violation of our immigration laws respecting the deportation of illegal aliens, and the leaking of classified information to burnish the president’s foreign policy credentials.

Getting back to Israel, despite the above-mentioned positive actions taken by Mr. Obama – which have included supporting Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile system; backing Israel during the controversies over the Goldstone Report and the Gaza flotilla fiasco; and opposing the Palestinians’ efforts at the UN for a unilateral declaration of statehood – we believe our skepticism is well-founded. Mr. Obama has set forth his fundamental beliefs regarding the Middle East in both word and action and they are decidedly not pro-Israel by any calculation.

During the 2008 campaign we were disturbed by Mr. Obama’s close ties to the virulently anti-Israel and anti-U.S. Reverend Jeremiah Wright, whose church the Obamas attended for years. The claim by the president that he was conveniently absent whenever Rev. Wright gave his notorious sermons is hard to take seriously. After all, Rev. Wright officiated at his wedding and other family events and indeed mentored him.

Mr. Obama’s close association in his formative years with several anti-Israel leftists rang some alarm bells. Also ringing bells was his comment during the 2008 campaign that “There is a strain within the pro-Israel community that says unless you adopt an unwavering pro-Likud approach to Israel that you’re anti-Israel.”

Our comments section is intended for meaningful responses and debates in a civilized manner. We ask that you respect the fact that we are a religious Jewish website and avoid inappropriate language at all cost.

If you promote any foreign religions, gods or messiahs, lies about Israel, anti-Semitism, or advocate violence (except against terrorists), your permission to comment may be revoked.

Some faulty reasoning in this op-ed. Romney has demonstrated repeatedly that he will change any policies and positions, even those most fundamental, when expedient. He is very short of knowledge and experience in foreign affairs and his brief excursion over seas during the campaign demonstrated tone deafness. Concerns about Obama are well expressed and well founded!!!! But that does not imply that Romney is a better bet. Bush was a great friend of Israel in principle but in practice his blundering was arguably much worse than Obama.

2008 was the LAST year that the demoslamists received a majority Jewish vote. Even the most die hard head in the sand 'we dare not be called racists' Jews can no longer stomach an administration steeped in lies, butchery, mass murder, and willingness to surrender not just the US, but all her once upon a time now former allies to the blood lust of the jihadists!

I love that once again, the right wing in this country has brainwashed the jews into thinking that voting republican is in their best interest. After four thousand years of being screwed with, you'd think we'd see it for what it is when we're being used as a wedge to drive forth an extremist right-wing agenda steeped in bigotry and born of greed. I'm so ashamed to be Jewish after reading some of this blathering, mindless vitriol. And in case you were wondering, I am an unflinching, unapologetic supporter of Israel. Go figure.

As a Jew who works hard on 'tikkun olam' I find it upsetting to see how many people would subscribe to an ultra-conservative president (think back Bush, the war-monger). Btw, just because someone criticises something it doesn't mean there are just for or against – there is a world beyond binaries…Try it!

@Liad: I live only to serve and provide some modicum of truth in a demoslamist created environment of racial divisiveness and subjugation to the great one whom some have now started to refer to as a "g-d," or as NBC put, "placed on this earth for a higher calling." Last time I heard that, philosophers were referring to a messiah

Are you referring to the Warren Buffett who owes the US TAXPAYERS over $2BILLION in unpaid taxes and for whom obama has ordered the IRS to stand down and not pursue collection as long as Buffett continues to promote the obama agenda? THAT Buffet? Hmmmm

Stick to your comic books Allison – it's your only reality! If you're so ashamed, I think you should stop calling yourself a Jew – Soros and axelrod did, and we are the better for it. But I find it interesting that, during the course of your histrionics and blathering, NOT ONCE do you provide any reasonable discourse, refutation, or contrary opinion. You follow the basic demoslamist line that a vote against obama is "racist," and as NBC put it last week, "potentially unconstitutional."

Your comments do however indicate you are really not Jewish! Your use of the age-old canard that Jews are "greedy" has repeatedly been used to justify genocides against us. But you know that which is why you used the description. As for your claim you support Israel, I have my doubts. Probably a disclaimer to attempt to give YOUR vitriolic and venal attack some credence amongst obamatons.

That said, perhaps you should regroup, perhaps a sedative to calm down, and come back when you can discuss the issues – unlike obama who has now been shown tpo being an imploding bully who can't get his way (When you return we can discuss how obama, clinton, panetta, biden, and dempsey were complicit in the benghazi massacre)

There is a difference between the United States of America and the united states of obama! The USA and Israel are binded – as all polls show. the us of obama is steeped in jihadist theology and will do all it can to assist in the promotion of the quran's call for random acts of genocide. Benghazi is your proof

Why should I continue to fight you? I'm not going to change your mind, and I don't get paid to defend the president's campaign online. All I can say is that I share zero values with Romney/Ryan ticket. I'm pro-choice, gay, and female. I'm at the point in my life where I'd like to get married. That won't happen under a president Romney. I believe in the state of Israel, and I believe that President Obama did the right thing by not goading the middle east into a nuclear knife-fight. We don't have to fight anymore. I'll just cancel out your vote on November sixth. Can you maybe tell Gabor that wishing someone dead is a bit histrionic? So now you know where I'm coming from, and that's all I can give you. I do have to admit my reaction was a bit overblown, I was just upset because it was an article bouncing around my family's emails. Take care.

And yet you come here with a set of vitriolic histrionics and expect anyone to believe you or take you seriously? I don't speak for others. I speak for myself. Cancel my vote out? That's called a democratic republic. But I wonder if the usual obama base line voters that are now legally dead or illegal aliens will cancel out the millions of others who are living that plan to vote Romney?

Arie Rosenrauch What nonsense. Would a jew hater would have so much for Israel that their defense minister says Obama has been their best ever US President when it comes to Israel's security. STOP LYING.

It's incredibly unfortunate that a President whose Middle East policy is similar to LBJ, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush Sr. & Clinton has been methodolically been portrayed as anti-Israel and anti-Semitic by Right Wing Jews and Republicans. All the guy wanted to do was try and get peace talks moving again between Israel and Palestinian Authority. For Shame.

Yes, exactly the way you say! Bingo! He merely wanted to do allt his by premtivelly massively and fundamentally move the until then 5-decades long goalposts in favour of one side. Sadly, for you (or fortunately??), it is the so-called Palestinian side. So much about obama's "friendliness" and "caring support". Cut the cr*p Obamaherroid/Obmabot.

I am not Jewish in fact I'm Catholic. I can't imagine a world without Israel. I get so upset when I hear and read people think that obama gives a damn about Israel. Israel deserves to be. I as an American stand with Israel, I hope my country will be able to stand with it.

2008 was the LAST year that the demoslamists received a majority Jewish vote. Even the most die hard head in the sand ‘we dare not be called racists’ Jews can no longer stomach an administration steeped in lies, butchery, mass murder, and willingness to surrender not just the US, but all her once upon a time now former allies to the blood lust of the jihadists!

I love that once again, the right wing in this country has brainwashed the jews into thinking that voting republican is in their best interest. After four thousand years of being screwed with, you’d think we’d see it for what it is when we’re being used as a wedge to drive forth an extremist right-wing agenda steeped in bigotry and born of greed. I’m so ashamed to be Jewish after reading some of this blathering, mindless vitriol. And in case you were wondering, I am an unflinching, unapologetic supporter of Israel. Go figure.

As a Jew who works hard on ‘tikkun olam’ I find it upsetting to see how many people would subscribe to an ultra-conservative president (think back Bush, the war-monger). Btw, just because someone criticises something it doesn’t mean there are just for or against – there is a world beyond binaries…Try it!

It’s incredibly unfortunate that a President whose Middle East policy is similar to LBJ, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush Sr. & Clinton has been methodolically been portrayed as anti-Israel and anti-Semitic by Right Wing Jews and Republicans. All the guy wanted to do was try and get peace talks moving again between Israel and Palestinian Authority. For Shame.

I am not Jewish in fact I’m Catholic. I can’t imagine a world without Israel. I get so upset when I hear and read people think that obama gives a damn about Israel. Israel deserves to be. I as an American stand with Israel, I hope my country will be able to stand with it.